


I Dare You

by mellostopheles



Series: Tilt Your Head and Turn it to the Sun [2]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:15:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21658138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mellostopheles/pseuds/mellostopheles
Summary: Abigail has always enjoyed teasing Haley, and Haley likes to return the favour. It's the cornerstone of their friendship, but they're long past the point where either of them can actually get a rise out of the other. On Spirit's Eve, Abigail senses an opportunity to actually scare Haley, and she intends to take full advantage of it.
Relationships: Abigail/Haley (Stardew Valley)
Series: Tilt Your Head and Turn it to the Sun [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561396
Comments: 4
Kudos: 52





	I Dare You

Rows of pumpkins, animate skeletons pacing their cage in front of the clinic, and a cold crisp chill in the air made it clear that tonight was Spirit’s Eve. Abigail’s favourite day of the year. She had wound a black scarf decorated with cartoon skulls through her thick curls, and was crossing the town square with a glint in her eye. Tonight was her reward for enduring a long, hot summer, and the ongoing fussing that her parents insisted on putting her through. They seemed to forget that, just because she was still living at home, it didn’t mean she wasn’t an adult. If she did call their bluff and move out to the city by herself, there would undoubtedly be a whole new wave of nagging, anyway. There was no winning with them sometimes. She was looking forward to losing them in the maze tonight. It was one of the few places she knew they wouldn’t bother her.

Abigail stopped to grab a snack from one of the well-stocked tables laid out around the square. Sugar would give her the energy to stay up all night, which was her plan. After all, as much as she loved Spirit’s Eve, it meant the end of autumn. She liked to get everything she could out of those last few days, when the valley was still awash with fallen leaves and shielded in its gentle orange glow.

As she was admiring the various spooky cupcakes and cookies, Abigail saw Haley walk over and position herself beside the table. Haley had not bothered to get into the spirit of the season, not that that was surprising. She was wearing her usual bright colours, with just a fluffy white scarf thrown over her shoulders to acknowledge that they were rapidly approaching winter. Looking more like a fruit salad than ever against the dark backdrop of the festival. Abigail smirked to herself, and crept around the corner of the table. Haley looked up in surprise as she got close, before settling her face into an unimpressed frown.

“You got me,” she sighed. “The one day I can’t tell you that Halloween is over. Make the most of it.” Abigail’s lip twitched. She and Haley had an ongoing habit of making fun of each other. Only natural, considering their different priorities in life. It had been going since school and could get intense at times but, at least as far as Abigail knew, there was no malice behind it. It was more of a game. Both girls had pretty thick skin.

“Not like you to eat anything brown,” Abigail said, motioning to the array of chocolate cupcakes in front of them. “I’m sure we can paint a few of these pink and cover them with hearts if it’ll make you feel more comfortable.” Haley put on a strained smile, as if dealing with Abigail was like a dog trainer watching a puppy misbehave.

“Are we gonna have a conversation about what people eat, Abi?” she asked, faking concern. Abigail snorted. Haley had once seen her order an extra spicy eel plate and had never let it go. Admittedly, some of the chilli had migrated into her eyes and needed to be washed out with milk in the middle of the saloon, but that didn’t validate anything Haley said.

“Why are you skulking around here, anyway?” Abigail asked, changing the subject. She glanced towards the far end of the square where tall hedgerows heralded the start of the maze. “Are you scared?”

“Don’t be dumb,” Haley snorted, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. She did not follow Abigail’s gaze, instead picking at the napkins with her long blue nails, trying to get one off the pile. She couldn’t be more obvious if she tried.

“You’re totally scared of the maze!” Abigail jeered. “ _Again_! I swear, I’ve never actually seen you go in. What are you, twelve?”

“Um, are you? Who cares about the stupid maze?” Haley laughed, unable to keep it from sounding rigid, as she scooped a cookie onto the napkin nestling in her hand. Clearly unwilling to risk getting a few crumbs on herself, like a normal person.

“Chiiiicken…!” Abigail sung to herself, dancing from foot to foot until Haley let out a loud sigh of frustration and stomped off down the table. Abigail followed, enjoying herself. Haley was tough, and it was hard to get a rise out of her these days. She planned to make the most of this opportunity.

Haley dumped her uneaten cookie at the edge of the table and continued trotting away, sending up clack clack sounds from the cobblestones with her heels. She ended up halfway down to the river, sulking underneath a tree. Abigail was at her side a few seconds later. She jabbed Haley playfully in the shoulder with her index finger.

“Come on. Live a little.”

“No way!” Haley snapped. “Oh my god, no-one over the age of fifteen has ever even cared about that stupid thing. You’re just a big baby.”

“A big baby who’s braver than you!” That earned her a glare. Haley puffed out her cheeks, obviously not willing to admit she was scared. It would be too funny to drag her into the maze and watch her freak out over a few paper monsters.

Abigail took a moment to consider her options. There had to be some bait that would lure Haley in. There was no way she was giving up this chance. Haley was always pretty proud of herself. It was probably best to play on that.

“You know, maybe you’re right…” Abigail said slowly, batting her overladen eyelashes. “I mean, even I’m kind of freaked out by it this year.” Haley shot her a look.

“No way.”

“Yeah. It’s creepy. I don’t think I can face it on my own…” Haley stared at her and her flapping mascara for a moment before rolling her eyes.

“Seriously…?” she sighed. Abigail knew that she had her.

“Dare you to come with me?” She extended a hand, and Haley looked at it for a few seconds, before huffing air through her noise.

“Ugh. If it’ll shut you up, then _fine_.” She pointedly neglected to take the hand that was being offered to her, instead choosing to square her narrow shoulders and begin marching off in the direction of the maze. “Well come on!” she called out over her shoulder. “You’re the one who’s scared!”

We’ll just see who’s scared, Abigail thought to herself, with a mean little grin.

She chased after Haley and they met at the entrance of the maze. A narrow gap in the two high hedges opened inward, revealing several pathways. Abigail shot Haley a glance, and crossed the threshold. Without wasting a second, Haley hurried after her, keeping close to her side. It was already dark out, and the maze was largely illuminated by small caches of glimmering lights. A touch that certainly added to the eerie atmosphere.

“This is so stupid…” Haley muttered under her breath, as she stroked her crossed arms against her shoulders. Abigail rolled her eyes. If she was already freaking out, then this was going to be an embarrassing experience for her.

“Just stick by me.” Haley ignored her, looking sharply from one leafy wall to another.

“Oh my god, what was that?!” she gasped, twitching back from one the bushes. There was nothing there. Maybe as much as a rustle of branches in the evening breeze. Abigail decided not to say anything. She was having fun, getting to see Haley’s well-hidden vulnerable side.

The rustling seemed to have got under Haley’s skin. As they continued to trudge along the grassy path, she couldn’t stop herself from sticking to Abigail like glue. It was kind of cute. Abigail found herself suppressing a laugh. They turned a corner and Haley yelped, covering her face in her hands. Following her eyeline made it clear that she’d been caught off-guard by a Jack-O-Lantern with a wide snarl for a face. This time, Abigail couldn’t keep the laugh inside.

“Aww, Haley, come on!” she teased. “Do you know how busy I’m going to be making fun of you for this? You’re eating up my whole winter.”

“It’s your fault,” Haley muttered. She was scowling, and struggling to get her breathing back to normal. No chance of her pretending that she’d kept her cool in the maze now. “Excuse me for being a normal person who doesn’t see the point of this stuff.”

“Sure, _that’s_ the issue.” Abigail was still chuckling to herself as they passed the town fountain. Then, suddenly, she found her laughter catch in her throat.

Hiding up ahead, half obscured by another turn in the path, was a ghastly spider. It was fat and green, an unnaturally bulbous creature about the size of a person’s head. Yes, it was just a model, but the eyes were looking right at her. Abigail hated spiders. She couldn’t stand them. Even the really tiny ones that most people didn’t notice. She shuddered.

“What’s the matter, Abi?” Haley’s teasing, sing-song voice was right by her ear. Now it was Abigail’s turn to look at her and roll her eyes.

“Nothing,” she said. “Just waiting for you to calm down.” Too late. Haley had clearly clocked her reaction. She was baring her teeth in a wicked smile, narrowing her eyes in mockery. She held up a finger and waggled it in Abigail’s face, scolding her for trying to pretend.

“You are scaaaaared!” she laughed, her voice getting higher as she made the word impossibly long. Haley was the only girl who could put six syllables into the word ‘scared’. Abigail snorted, putting her hands on her hips.

“Come on. No way. Nothing scares me.” It wasn’t enough to stop Haley from laughing. If Abigail was in the mood to be objective, then she’d have to admit she deserved this mockery. She was not in that mood.

“Do you want to go back?” Haley asked, putting on an obnoxious baby voice and sticking out her lower lip. “Need to go sit down?” Abigail had her pride to defend. It was just a silly plastic spider. There was no chance it was going to beat her.

“Sure, you’d like that. I know you’re too scared to go any further.”

“Not this time,” Haley said, holding out her hand. The same way Abigail had earlier, which was not lost on either of them. “I’ll be brave for you.”

Abigail scoffed and brushed off the offer, before taking a deep breath. It was just a little plastic spider. No big deal. She nodded her head and the two of them pressed on, steadily approaching the turn where the dummy lay in wait. Abigail was proud of herself. Maybe it was nothing after all. She might even start chasing the spiders out of her bedroom herself after this, instead of shouting for her dad every time she saw one.

Her mood lasted until they turned the corner, and were immediately faced with the massive bulk of a second spider, looming several feet off the ground. Its fangs extended outward, glistening in the torchlight. Abigail screamed so loud that at first that she thought the sound was ringing in her ears. Until she realised Haley was screaming, too. Suddenly, she felt a hand around her arm, and Haley was pulling her away. The two of them made a run for it, desperately trying to escape from the menacing lump of plastic that had surprised them. They were still clinging onto each other when they burst through the maze’s entrance and found themselves back in the town square. It took a second before it registered that they were safe. Then, Abigail turned to look at Haley. She was sweating, panting for breath, and holding tight onto her upper arm. When she noticed what she was doing, she let Abigail go. That was when they both started to laugh.

“Oh my god,” Haley said through laughs and shaky breaths. “That was so dumb. We were so dumb!”

“Hey, I only screamed because you did!” Abigail insisted, brushing leaves off her jacket and out of her hair.

“Sure, I believe you,” Haley giggled, flicking her wrist. “You were so freaked out! I thought you were going to cry!”

“I never cry! I thought you were going to tear my arm off, the way you were dragging me out of there!”

“Unlikely!”

“Oh, I think it’s very likely. I said there’s no reason to be scared, and what happens? You –” Abigail had plenty more teasing left, but Haley shushed her and pressed her finger gently to her lips. The soft touch was like a magic spell, and Abigail didn’t say another word. Haley smiled to herself and took her finger away, putting her hand in her hair and giving it a quick flick, acting like she’d never lost her cool for a second. Abigail almost believed it.

“So, this whole thing has been super childish,” Haley said, in the smooth voice of someone who would never dream of running out of a hedge maze screaming. “How about we complete the evening by getting a few handfuls of candy from the tables over there?”

“Yeah,” Abigail laughed, feeling a little flutter in her throat as she stared at her friend. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea right about now.”

Haley reached out and wrapped her hand around Abigail’s arm. They walked over to the tables, linked together, oblivious to the chatter all around them. For some reason, Abigail had forgotten that there was anyone else around.


End file.
